Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-2506

Type XXI submarine

Displacement
1,595 long tons (1,621 t)
Length
76.7 m (251.6 ft)
Beam
8 m (26.2 ft)
Speed
17.9 knots (33.2 km/h, 20.6 mph)
Complement
57
Main gun
20 mm (0.8 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-250631 August 1944 — 9 May 1945254 days of the war
Type XXI submarine Particulars
Name
U-2506
Builder
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Ordered
6 November 1943
Laid down
29 May 1944
Launched
5 August 1944
Commissioned
31 August 1944
Fate
Surrendered on 9 May 1945 at Bergen, Norway
Sunk on 5 January 1946 during Operation Deadlight (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,595 long tons (1,621 t)
Displacement, submerged
2,067 long tons (2,100 t)
Length
76.7 m (251.6 ft) OA
Beam
8 m (26.2 ft)
Draught
6.32 m (20.7 ft)
Speed
17.9 knots (33.2 km/h, 20.6 mph)
Range
15,500 nmi (28,706 km)
Complement
57
Main gun
20 mm (0.8 in)

U-2506 was a Type XXI submarine in service with the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg on 29 May 1944. She entered service on 31 August 1944, having been launched on 5 August 1944.

118 ships of the class were built. The class followed the Type VII and was succeeded by the Type XXVI.

The boat displaced 1,595 long tons surfaced and 2,067 long tons submerged. She measured 76.7 m (252 ft) long with a beam of 8 m (26 ft). Her designed speed was 17.9 knots, and she carried a complement of 57.

Her main battery was four 20 mm (0.8 in) guns.

She was in commission for 254 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 9 May 1945, at 55°37′N 7°30′W. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • Diesel/Electric
  • 2 × MAN M6V40/46KBB supercharged 6-cylinder diesel engines, 4000 PS
  • 2 × SSW GU365/30 double-acting electric motors, 5000 PS
  • 2 × SSW GV232/28 silent running electric motors, 226 PS
Armament
  • 6 × bow torpedo tubes
  • 23 × 53.3 cm torpedoes (or 17 × torpedoes and 12 × nmines)
  • 4 × 2 cm C/30 AA guns

Sister ships

93 more in the class

Sources